


Valentine’s Hash

by Ealasaid, writeyourownstory



Series: Hallmark Channel [3]
Category: 1917 (Movie 2019)
Genre: Hallmark AU, M/M, Makeup, Parent Death, Post-Break Up, Reconciliation, but several years later, chatfic, inspired by Hallmark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:47:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27275938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ealasaid/pseuds/Ealasaid, https://archiveofourown.org/users/writeyourownstory/pseuds/writeyourownstory
Summary: In which Joseph Blake is fired from working on the reality TV show he's been stressing over for a year, heads back home, and inadvertently reconnects with his ex-fiancé Benjamin Richards thanks to an effingValentine's Day festival.
Relationships: Joseph Blake/Lieutenant Richards, Tom Blake & William Schofield
Series: Hallmark Channel [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1988683
Kudos: 2





	Valentine’s Hash

**Author's Note:**

> Rewrite of _A Valentine's Match._  
>  Originally brainstormed and chatfic'd on September 6th, 2020~

**butler is boo:** i have a good one for you:  
girl gets fired from her reality tv show, has to go home to small town in Portland where she runs into her ex fiance  
ex fiance who broke off their engagement years before because he wanted to travel but get this!  
He stayed in Portland and now runs a hardware shop and does wood working on the side  
she is understandably shocked and ticked off about this  
aaaaaaand  
they've been asked to head the "valentine's day" festival  
cause its fucking valentines day themed movies today wtf

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** What???? Ugh it's nowhere near February  
hmmmm

 **butler is boo:** this is the same channel that did christmas in may or some shit

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** 🙄  
ok  
Do they get back together?

 **butler is boo:** oh  
obviously

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** 😂

 **butler is boo:** they're hanging out right now reminiscing  
apparently he stayed cause his father got sick and he took over the hardware shop and just never left after his father died  
for some reason I can see Joe as the girl?

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** 😂  
I was about to say I could see it as Joe and Ben?

 **butler is boo:** maybe ben as the girl and joe as the ex?  
ben would be better suited to reality tv id think 🤣

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** Very true :P  
I could also see Ben being arrogant enough to assume Joe would give up his job as reality TV person to go traveling with him

 **butler is boo:** oooooo yes! I could def see that!

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** 🤔  
Maybe Joe doesn't like his job? Hmmm  
it was a nasty fight

 **butler is boo:** yeah, it'd be better if he just left cause they wanted him to do something that wasn't in his contract or went against it  
she got fired cause they were hiring a new, younger star i think

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** Oh fuck that  
Yeah, Joe _didn't_ like the job, but it was all supposed to be an opportunity to something bigger and better  
meanwhile, Ben knew Joe didn't like it, and was trying to convince him to go traveling -- see the world and stuff  
get a new perspective on life!  
Only that's not how it came out . . .

 **butler is boo:** nope, it sure did not

 **Lt. Richards is bae:**   
OKAY OKAY so it goes like this  
Joe is finally fired from his job and to be quite frank with himself, he's like "fucking _good riddance_ " and also secretly relieved  
it just was a sucky job and it's been a sucky job for the last four years and, though he will never admit it, he's starting to think Ben was right about giving it up all those years ago  
\--not that he'd ever tell that arsehole.

 **butler is boo:** 🤣

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** Anyway he goes back home to Portland, which is so incredibly hick, but ey, it's home  
Tom's still around, so at least there's someone entertaining

 **butler is boo:** tom is always around 🤣

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** hmmm  
maybe he's on break from uni  
YEAH he's on break from uni  
and keeps looking at Joe like he wants to say something but is perpetually reconsidering it

 **butler is boo:** and they both end up staying at their parents' house

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** ^^^  
hmmm trying to think of how they run into each other

 **butler is boo:** well the chick runs into her ex at the hardware store while picking up some stuff for her dad to fix up the house with??

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** OOOO OKAY THAT WORKS  
Mrs Blake and Tom _both_ know about everything and are like thinking it's best not to talk to Joe about it  
Mr Blake forgets completely and sends Joe off

 **butler is boo:** or he's meddling 😏

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** I can see both  
he always liked Ben, thought the man had a sensible head on his shoulders  
\--except for how Ben was stubborn about getting back in touch with Joe, of course  
Joe, coming back home, is naturally thinking about his ex quite a lot

 **butler is boo:** oh obviously--everything reminds him of ben

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** bc like yeah, Ben is a complete shit who stomped all over Joe's hopes and dreams, pointing out how Joe doesn't even like his job  
but they were together for several years and honestly . . . well, Joe can look back and  
sorta see how him having to bow to the demands of reality star job stuff sort of drove them apart . . .

 **butler is boo:** 🥺

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** since Joe was putting so much stock in _that_ being his shot at like, whatever his ideal job would be, idk  
and Ben getting impatient with how much Joe didn't like it and how unhappy Joe was with it  
to the extent that like, yeah, Ben was _probably_ right to call Joe on it . . . but like, Joe is never going to admit that. _EVER_  
(But Joe is realising he really does miss Ben)  
(sort of half-indulging in like. "Man . . . what if I _had_ given it up to go traveling . . ." but mostly only thinking this bc he's assuming Ben has moved on to bigger and better things and Joe's never going to have to face him again, NOPE)

 **butler is boo:** 😏

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** walks into the hardware store and welp

 **butler is boo:** lo and behold! there's ben!

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** Ben's like   
"What the bloody hell are you doing here?"

 **butler is boo:** 🤣

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** Joe's like "oh my fucking god"  
just stupidly says "I -- I'm getting some things for my dad, what on earth are _you_ doing here?"  
Ben looks at him queerly (let's say this is four years after their breakup?) and is like "I . . . run this store?"  
Joe's all "what? why? what happened to your father?"  
Ben: "Well, he died"  
"you know, from that terminal illness he was diagnosed with about a month after you left for fame and fortune"  
and Joe's like 😶  
"oh"  
"er"  
"wow I'm. really sorry to hear that"

 **butler is boo:** woooooow  
(joe cant help but think things cant get any more awkward)

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** ^^^^^^^^  
and then Ben very briskly is like "right so is this that one project of your dad's? what does he need this time?"  
and Joe's like ???? why is he so hostile to me, _he's_ the one who broke it off  
but just goes with it bc like, dead dad. that uh, that takes precedence

 **butler is boo:** Sure heckin does wow

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** gets his things and goes on his way like "fucking what the _fuck"_  
and THEN  
we get POV switch!!!

 **butler is boo:** 🙌🙌🙌

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** to Ben  
watching the love of his life walk back out the hardware store and just being like "fuck me, I need a drink so badly right now"  
"what the _fuck_ is he doing back here"  
his assistant manager Lydia is like "ooooooooooooo"  
"isn't that your ex?"

 **butler is boo:** He is so fucking affected just yes

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** and Ben's like "ugh" and just. not even angry about it right at that moment, just tired

 **butler is boo:** He went through so much when his dad died 😔

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** YEP  
so he's like "ugh, yeah," but then he just presses his lips shut and shakes his head and it's clear he has a hell of a lot more to say but he ain't gonna say it  
but Lydia already knows bc she was working for his dad back then and sort of saw the fallout? so she gives him a hug and is like "you should come out for drinks with me after we close up. I can get the girls together . . ."  
and he's like "ugh please"

 **butler is boo:** _girls night YES_

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** and so they do! scene cut to them all hanging out at someone's house with like, soooooo many empty bottles of wine  
some harder stuff  
it's Ben and Lydia and Sophia and some other girls idek, one or two guys, too

 **butler is boo:** Gangs all there!! Will is obviously there too

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** just a casual night where someone's like "yo we're partying hard bring in the everything"  
OMG YES  
like they're all friends and the purpose that night is to hang out so it's not like the focus is on Ben but it is a thing where those in _the know_ are like "yep we're here to get him fucked up so he can let it out"

 **butler is boo:** 🙌🙌🙌  
_yas_

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** (Lydia was his casual fling for a while, so was Sophia)  
(it was amiable bc then they found each other)  
/everyone is bi like all the time in her AUs  
anyhoo  
Lydia and Sophia and Will are the only ones left at this point (it's . . . a Friday night, let's say)  
and Lydia finally prompts Ben into talking about it with something like "so what was all that in the store today?" and then turns to Will and is like "you're sort of friends with his ex's brother, aren't you? what's he doing back in town?"  
Will's all "what? idk. I can ask tho" and everyone's like NO NO NO as he pulls out his phone bc wow no it's not a question that needs to be answered RIGHT NOW and also it'd be pretty clear to Joe if he found out Will was asking that Ben is probably bitching about him immediately

 **butler is boo:** 😂😂😂  
Omg Will _what_

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** so Ben's like "UGH IT WAS SO LONG AGO WHYYYYYY" but he's like clearly going to talk about it so someone fills up his glass and shoves the snacks at him and he gets into it  
starts with the basics of "well I mean. we met back at university and hit it off and dated for like two years? three? and decided to get married"  
"but things just didn't work out" and everyone makes raspberry noises bc _duh_  
"well yeah but if you were _engaged_ \-- what happened?"  
and so it comes out  
how Joe got -- well, it wasn't his dream job, but it seemed like the ideal starting place in the industry, and he was _so excited_ and Ben was happy for him and his own life was going great (maybe he was playing the stock market? computer science? landed a nice 6-figure job immediately out of college)  
and they were busy getting their lives all set up and in loooooooove etc etc

 **butler is boo:** 🥰

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** and Joe's job was inconvenient sometimes and Joe was finding it wasn't as awesome as he thought it would be but he was getting stubborn, like "this is it"  
and Ben was like "okay dear"  
but then it just gets more and more obvious that it's not  
hmmm Ben gives his work a go for a year or two, maybe has a disappointment but comes back twice as hard  
something that made him realise that clinging to your delusions isn't the best idea  
and he tries explaining that to Joe but Joe doesn't take it well and it becomes a point of contention  
like they're still engaged and they still love each other but. now Joe's like lowkey feeling like Ben doesn't support him and Ben is lowkey interpreting that as Joe choosing his job over their relationship (and it doesn't help that Joe's job is demanding him for crazy hours and doing crazy stunts and stuff)

 **butler is boo:** Things slowly drive them apart

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** gets to this point where Ben's like "I think we both need a new perspective" and proposes that they take a year off and go travel -- which they can afford to do, bc Ben's got his nice cushy 6-figure job or w/e

 **butler is boo:** (Gosh that would be so nice 🥰)  
(Ben’s got the right idea man)

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** but Joe does _not_ take it well. He's like "why aren't you supporting me? this is my _dream_ " and Ben's like "no it _isn't"_ and Joe's like "just because _your thing_ didn't work out doesn't mean mine can't!" and Ben's like, "you know what? fine!"  
"I'm going with or without you so I guess it's up to you, isn't it?"  
hoo boy is it nasty

 **butler is boo:** 🥺🥺🥺

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** Joe immediately moves out and Ben's like GOOD RIDDANCE (and feeling all hollow bc it's not) and is determined to go through with it anyway  
but then dad gets his diagnosis and everyone's priorities shift

 **butler is boo:** 😩😭  
Oh geez the _angst yes_

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** and Ben v willingly decides to ignore that whole nasty breakup and just focuses on being there for dad  
at some point Joe moves off elsewhere  
Ben hears about it and spends the night drinking himself stupid and then just shoves it all back and goes back to taking care of his dad  
(Joe doesn't hear about the diagnosis obviously -- in fact, Ben's family doesn't tell anyone for a couple months)  
and then of course Ben's dad died and Ben takes over the shop and that was a couple years ago and here they are now  
and everyone makes sympathy noises  
and someone's all "so do you regret it?" and Ben's just like "no? but I can't help but feel like if the timing had been different, things would have worked out less awfully"

 **butler is boo:** Oh definitely  
It ended so ugly, but really it was both their doings and if he could go back maybe he wouldn’t make that ultimatum or something

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** exactly!  
like he can see where it all went wrong and he still feels like he wasn't wrong, but -- maybe if he'd been more attentive or listened more or something . . .

 **butler is boo:** Tried to compromise...tried to get joe to understand better 😔

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** 😔  
yeppppppppppp  
Joe meanwhile is pumping his mum for information  
and hearing about how Ben sticks around to help his father and stuff

 **butler is boo:** (Ooooo that information hurts, like, how could no one tell him?)

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** (oh man, fuck yeah)  
Joe is mollified a bit when he finds out _no one_ knew for several months, but is still annoyed no one thought to tell him  
but then he like gets over himself and is like reflecting that while Ben was a total arse to people he didn't like, he was honestly one of the most dedicated and loyal people towards his loved ones  
and just kind of reflecting on their relationship with a fresh perspective and seeing it maybe more clearly now?  
spends a few days thinking about it and sort of sees where it went wrong  
and, especially with having just gotten fired  
is able to see v clearly where they were both culpable in it  
but wow! so uncomfortable to think about!

 **butler is boo:** Self reflecting is always an uncomfortable pass time

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** ~~WHICH IS WHY IT'S SO GREAT THAT THEY'RE BOTH ASKED TO WORK ON WHATEVER THIS SHITTY VALENTINE'S DAY THING IS  
~~independently Joe's been looking around for work and, well, he knows a thing or two about production, so?  
but then he gets on the job and finds out that my goodness. fucking BEN is here too

 **butler is boo:** Yay! The shitty Valentine’s Day festival!

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** and while Joe was thinking about calling up Ben or maybe getting in touch with him to sort of clear the air or something, he wasn't planning on doing it _this soon!_

 **butler is boo:** (And Ben is helping build the stalls and tables and damn he looks good in that shirt)

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** (^^^^)  
(like, he was always pretty fit before, but damn. _damn._ all that side-job woodworking? _DAMN._ )

**butler is boo: 👏👏👏👏👏**

**Lt. Richards is bae:** But you KNOW WHAT  
Joe can be a professional  
good lord, does he know about being professional with people he doesn't like  
so this? this is _easy_  
the most awkward moment is when Ben just flat out is like "what on earth are you doing this for?" meaning like, the festival  
and Joe's just very neutrally all "well I'm out of work at the moment so I'm picking up what I can get"  
and Ben's like "oh" and Joe can't resist adding (very unhappily) "turns out you were right about me not making it in the industry"  
and Ben just looks at him seriously and is like "you were always damned good at what you did. Their loss they never quite saw that"  
which . . . isn't an apology  
but it sure as hell isn't an "I told you so"  
so

 **butler is boo:** _bless_  
And Joe is understandably shocked and appreciative of this

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** YEP  
hides it well though bc _still not there yet_  
but  
weirdly  
it now isn't hard to work together  
and over the like, week? that they're doing this? they can have normal conversations  
and they like see that they're both still, you know, Ben and Joe  
their personalities are the same, as is their humor, and stuff

 **butler is boo:** And it’s easy to fall into a routine again

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** oh boy, yes  
because before they started dating they were actually really good friends?  
so they, like, are used to sort of being that wingman/other person in social everything? and they start falling into that  
and people who don't know they used to be a thing are like "wow you two are really getting on 😏"  
people who DO know are like " . . . so you two are really getting on"

 **butler is boo:** 😂😂😂

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** and anyway. at some point, one of them cracks  
\--probably Joe   
who is just like "you know, I really feel awful about your father -- if I'd known, I'd have tried to be there" (the implication _for you_ is unsaid) "and I'm sorry I never found out"  
and that gets them to slowly sort of  
finally starting to tackle that whole blowout  
and it's not like all of a sudden or anything (and probably only happens after the festival ends)

 **butler is boo:** But they have the chance to open up to one another

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** ^^^  
in fact, it's probably the last night of the festival, after they finish packing everything up -- Ben's like "let's get drinks"  
that's when the conversation happens  
and they _end_ the conversation and go home and like think about it (very drunk both of them, probably)

 **butler is boo:** 👏👏👏👏

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** and after a week of _not_ being around each other and realising how much that was something they missed, Ben's like "should I call him and ask him out for drinks again?" and Lydia's like "oh my god I feel like I am unqualified to talk to you about that" but then Joe walks in and gives some shite story about his dad needing some hardware or something and casually mentions he's going to be sticking around for a bit bc there's some St Patrick's day festival they want him to work on  
and Ben's like "oh, I'm glad to hear you're sticking around" and they sort of both smile at each other and that's the end of the movie!

 **butler is boo:** 👏👏👏👏  
BLESSS

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** (their relationship after that: it goes real slow for a few months and then by the fourth of July festival they're both just waiting for one of them to make a move and hoo boy, best sex of their _lives_ that night)

 **butler is boo:** The certainty but also _uncertainty_ of them getting back together—now THAT is a “fuck you” to hallmark stereotypes 👏👏👏

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** SCREW YOU HALLMARK GIVE US OUR REALISTIC RELATIONSHIPS PLS

 **butler is boo:** 🙌🙌🙌🙌  
No— _cue magical kiss_ “and they lived happily fucking ever after”  
GIVE ME ANGST  
GIVE ME HEARTACHE  
GIVE ME SELF GROWTH

 **Lt. Richards is bae:** _GIVE ME CATHARSIS_

 **butler is boo:** 🙌🙌🙌🙌

**Author's Note:**

> Aka I wish this fandom had a kinkmeme. I'd hella have requested Lieutenant Richards comforting Lieutenant Blake the evening of April 7th ~~with his dick~~ just, y'know, in general. ~E
> 
> It’s a tragedy babe. Alas, we’ll just have to console ourselves with writing gay remixes of Hallmark movies with our rarepairs and wallow in misery. Which I am more than happy to do with you love. ;) ~W


End file.
